Method of baling paper pulp



April 14, 1936. A. T. CAMPBELL 2,

METHOD 0']? BALING PAPER PULP Filed July 28, 1952 s Sheet-Sheet 1 Na Q I Q R 3% N 1 April M, 31936. .A. T. CAMPBELL METHOD OF BALING PAPER PULP Filed July 28, 1932 3 SheetsSheet 2 April 14, 1936. A. T. CAMPBELL METHOD OF BALING PAPER PULP Filed July 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WNN hh mm a Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES METHOD OF BALINGPAPER PULP Arthur Talbot Campbell, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Acme Steel Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,388

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of baling paper pulp, such as shredded paper pulp and the like, and its purpose is to provide a more rapid and more efficient method of baling paper pulp and other products, as compared with other methods and apparatus heretofore used. The present invention is an improvement upon that described and claimed in the co-pending application of John Ekern Ott, Serial No. 588,318, filed January 23, 1932. The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved method of baling according to which a quantity of pulp is compressed and advanced through a confining chamber provided with means for permitting a needle or other tool to be passed through the body of compressed pulp at intervals for the purpose of providing holes through which flexible binders may be threaded, after which the binder is drawn taut around the units of paper pulp which are separated by the thrusts of the needle, thus simplifying and speeding up the operation of separating the pulp into units and passing a binder around each unit. Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of baling according to which a mass of pulpis compressed into an elongated traveling body of pulp which is then engaged at intervals by a series of needles or other instruments forming holes through which flexible binders are threaded, so that the body of compressed pulp is divided into units by the action of the needles and the flexible binders are then in position to be drawn taut around the separate units and then fastened to secure these units in the form of bales.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings, in which one example of the method is set forth in connection with one form of the improved apparatus. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of one form of the improved baling apparatus of the present invention which is capable of use in practicing the improved method of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the major portion of the apparatus in top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed bale after the binders have been drawn taut around the bale and their ends secured together;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged horizontal section, similar to that of Fig. 2, through the right-hand portion of the apparatus illustrating the positions of the needles and the flexible binders preliminary to threading the binders through the compressed pulp;

Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of the end portion of one of the needles; and.

Fig. '7 shows an end elevation of the point of the needle shown in Fig. 6.

As illustrated in the drawings, the improved baling apparatus comprises a frame ill having a pair of longitudinal frame members H, in the form of I-beams, which are adapted to rest upon the floor .or other support and which carry all parts of the apparatus. At a point midway between the ends of the frame Hi, there is mounted a casing l2 having an opening in its upper side which communicates with a hopper I3 through which the shredded paper pulp or the like is introduced into the casing. The casing I2 is: rectangular in cross-section and one end of this casing has mounted therein a plunger or piston l 4 which is adapted to reciprocate for the purpose of compressing the pulp and feeding it from the casing through a chute l5 in which the compressed pulp is divided intounits and in which the units are bound together by the means hereinafter described.

For the purpose of reciprocating the piston It, it is connected by a piston rod H. to a crank pin l8 which is located eccentrically on two largegears I9. These gears are mounted on a shaft journaled in bearings 2| carried by the frame members II and they are sufiieiently large to serve as a flywheel for maintaining a regular action of the reciprocating piston l4 regardless of the resistance encountered by this piston upon its engagement with the pulp in the casing !2. The gears H] are driven by pinions 22 which are fixed on a shaft 23 journaled in bearings 24 secured to the frame members I l and this shaft is in turn driven by a gear 25 secured thereon and meshing with a pinion 26. This pinion 26 is secured upon a transverse shaft 21 which is journaled in bearings 28 carried by the frame members I I. At a point beyond the frame members, the shaft 21 has a flywheel pulley 29 secured thereon to be driven by a belt 39 passing around a driving pulley 3| fixed upon the shaft of the electric driving motor 32.

The reciprocation of the piston 14 may be started and stopped by starting or stopping the motor 32 and the speed of movement of the piston may be varied by varying the speed of the motor but, in addition, a friction clutch 33 is preferably pad provided in the driving connections between the motor and the gear I9 and this clutch is actuated through a shaft 34 extending alongside the front frame member II. An operating lever 35 is secured on this shaft adjacent the hopper I3 and the lever may be locked in position by means of a detent engaging a quadrant 36. This enables the operator to control the operation of the piston I4 from a position adjacent the hopper through which the pulp is fed into the casing so that the action of the piston may be regulated to suit the volume of the pulp and the degree of its compression.

As the pulp passes from the casing I2, it is caused to move along the chute I5 which comprises a bottom wall or plate 48 secured on the upper flanges. of the I-beams II, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. The side walls 4| of the chute comprises a series of longitudinal plates 42 arranged in vertical planes and constituting the vertical flanges of carrying bars comprising upper and lower angle bars 43 and upper and lower T- bars 44. The bars 43 and 44 are connected at their forward ends to the side walls I2 of the casing I2 by means of hinges 45. At otherpoints between the hinges and the rear ends of the bars, they are connected together in pairs, the upper bar 43 being connected to the next adjacent T- bar 44 by means of brackets 45 while the lower angle bar 43, which is adapted to slide over the surface of the bottom plate 48, is connected to the T-bar 44 by means of other brackets 45. For the purpose of swinging the side walls of the chute about the hinges 45 at the forward ends thereof, the brackets 45 are rotatably engaged by threaded adjusting members 48 which engage threaded apertures in the side arms of yokes 50 which pass over the chute and which are pivotally connected at 5! to supporting brackets 52 carried by the frame members II. By rotating the adjusting members 48, through the operation of wrenches applied to their outer squared extremities, the rear portions of the plates 42 which constitute the side walls of the chute may be caused to converge rearwardly to a greater or less degree in order to secure the desired degree of compression of the paper pulp as it moves along the chute. I

The side walls 4| of the chute I5 are preferably further provided adjacent the rear ends thereof with friction shoes or plates 55 which occupy the slots 55 formed between the spaced plates 42 of the side walls. These friction plates are mounted at their rear ends on pivots 5! carried by brackets 58 secured to the supporting beams 43 and 44 and they are adapted to swing inwardly between the plates 42 for the purpose of engaging the flexible binders which are threaded through the paper pulp into position to pass around the individual units of the pulp which form the bales. In order to vary the pressure with which these plates or shoes 55 engage the flexible binders, they are engaged adjacent their forward ends by threaded adjusting members 59 which pass through bosses 58 carried by the supporting bars 43 and 44. The ends of these adjusting members bear against the outer sides of the friction plates or shoes and they are provided at their outer ends with heads adapted to be engaged by a wrench so that they may be turned to force the shoes inwardly about their pivots. The forward ends of the friction shoes 55 are curved as shown at 55 to permit the flem'ble binders to pass outwardly thereover and to be drawn thereover as the pulp moves rearwardly in the chute.

The top Wall of the chute I5 is formed by a flat metal plate 52 which is carried by a series of supporting T-beams 53. These beams are provided with angle plates 64 which are threadedly engaged by adjusting members 65 and these adjusting members also threadedly engage the top cross arms of the yokes 58. By adjusting the members 65, the top wall of the chute may be varied in elevation or may be inclined downwardly toward the rear end of the chute in order to cooperate with the side walls of the chute in effecting an increased compression of the pulp as it passes rearwardly.

For the purpose of providing holes to permit the threading of the flexible binders through the body of pulp as it passes rearwardly along the chute, there is provided a series of needles I5 which are adapted to move through the slots 56 formed between the plates 42 constituting the side walls of the chute. These needles have enlarged detachable sharpened heads or points 10*, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, and they are adapted to penetrate the pulp and form holes from which the needles may subsequently be withdrawn without difliculty. The flexible binder preferably employed is a fiat steel strap and the heads Ill of the needles are therefore preferably large enough to form holes through which the straps may readily be inserted. These needles are carried by a cylinder II having a cylinder head 12 secured in one end thereof and provided with apertures through which the needles are adapted to slide. The head 12 is provided with a packing chamber I3 around each needle and suitable packing material 14 is mounted in each chamber to be compressed by a packing gland I5 so that a fluidtight joint is formed around each needle. The other ends of the needles within the cylinder are connected to a piston I6 which is adapted to reciprocate longitudinally of the cylinder and which is provided with packing rings 1! engaging the cylinder wall. The piston I6 is preferably hollow with the two parts thereof secured together by bolts I8. The reciprocation of the piston within the cylinder II is effected by fluid-pressure and a sup-ply of compressed fluid, such as compressed air, is furnished through a pipe I9 which communicates with a four-way valve having a handle 80 One outlet of the valve 80 leads through a pipe 8| to the head end of the cylinder II and another outlet from the valve 80 leads through a pipe 82 to the other end of the cylinder II. Another outlet of the valve 80 leads through an exhaust pipe 83 to the atmosphere. A pipe 84, having a relief valve 84* connected therein, is connected between the supply pipe I9 and the exhaust line to relieve excess pressure. The end of the cylinder opposite the head I2 is closed by a plate or head 85 and the upper side wall of the cylinder is provided with a pair of bosses 86 in which are mounted the discharge ends of the pipes 8| and 82. These pipes communicate with passages 81 which lead into the interior of the cylinder some distance from the heads I2 and 85 thereof. provided with a passage 89 which is inclined upwardly toward the end of the cylinder from the adjacent passage 81. The passage 89 is provided centrally with a U-shaped bend 89 and the other arm 89? of the passage extends downwardly to communicate with the cylinder chamber through agroove 89 which is formed in the adjacent cylinder head. The flow of compressed fluid through each passage 89 is controlled by a needle valve 90 having a threaded engagement with the boss 80 and entering the upper horizontal portion of the U-shaped passage 89 The needle valve 90 may be held in adjusted position by a lock nut 9i. When the handle 86 of the valve 80 is turned to cause the compressed air to communicate with the head end of the cylinder 'II, the piston I6 is forced toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby causing the needles ii to penetrate the paper pulp. When this movement takes place, the compressed air in the other end of the cylinder is exhausted through the passage 81 at that end of the cylinder until that passage is closed by the movement of the piston over its mouth, whereupon the remaining air in that end of the cylinder is trapped and provides a cushion for the piston at the end of its travel. This trapped air is gradually relieved through the adjacent passage 89 so that the piston is stopped at the end of its stroke without shock. When the valve 80 is reversed to admit compressed fluid to the end of the cylinder adjacent the head 52,

this compressed fluid at first passes through the the other end of its stroke, adjacent the head 85,

the same cushioning action again takes place after the piston passes the other passage 8?, the pressure at the end of the cylinder being gradually relieved through the other passage 89. When the air is being exhausted from either end of the cylinder through either of the pipes 8! or 82, that pipe is connected through the valve 80 with the exhaust pipe 83.

The cylinder II is provided on itsunder side with flanges 95 which are connected by studs 95 with the needle carriage I00. in the form of a rectangular frame having a pair of transverse members IOI connected by longitudinal members I02. The members MI and I02 are of channel form and each member I02 is provided at each end thereof with a roller I03 mounted to turn on roller bearings carried by a shaft I04 extending between the side walls of the frame member as shown in Fig. 4. The roller I03 is adapted to travel upon the upper surface of a track member I05 which extends parallel to the frame members I I. Each track member I05 is of substantially channel form having a vertical depending side member I05 and an opposite inclined side member I05". The carriage I is provided at its corners with depending track portions I06 in each of which there is mounted a roller I0! adapted to bear upon the outer surface of one of the parts I of one of the track members. These rollers I0! revolve about roller bearings carried by shafts I00 secured between the upper and lower walls of the parts I06. To the under side of the carriage I30,

adjacent each corner thereof, there is secured a bracket III! having a recess in which is mounted another roller HI. Each of these rollers bears upon the inclined part I 05 of one of the track members I05 and is mounted to revolve about roller bearings carried by an inclined shaft II2. In this way the needle carriage is provided at each corner with three rollers I03, I0! and Ii I which engage the longitudinal track members 305 in such a way that a thrust upon the needle car- This carriage is riage in any direction is transmitted by the rollers to the stationary track members I05. In order that the rollers may be caused to engage the track members closely at all times, the bracket members H0 are secured to the under side of the carriage by studs H3 engaging slots HQ in the horizontal flanges of the brackets. A lug H5 projects downwardly from the bottom of the carriage at each end thereof and this lug is engaged on opposite sides by the heads of adjusting members IIG which threadedly engage apertures in the ends of the brackets l E 0 so that these adjusting members may be caused to transmit to the lug M5 the thrust which is transmitted through the brackets IN] by the rollers III. This arrangement permits the needle carriage to move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the 'chute I5 without having at any time any lost motion with respect to its support.

The track members I05 are secured at their ends to supporting brackets or frames II8 which are secured to the adjacent frame member I I by studs I I9, as shown in Fig. 4. The needle carriage is thus capable of movement longitudinally of the chute I5 so that the needle it may be inserted through and withdrawn from the body of moving pulp in the chute without interferingwith that movement. To permit this movement of the needle carriage and the cylinder II, the supply pipe '59 is connected by a flexible conduit with the source of compressed fluid supply.

In the embodiment illustrated, there are three needles I0 mounted one above the other in the same vertical plane and these needles are located in registry with the slots 56 between the plates 42 of the side walls of the chute so that when compressed fluid is admitted to the head end of thecylinder II, the needles are forced simultaneously throughthe body of pulp I20 which is located within the chute. In the operation of the invention, the pulp is fed into the hopper I3 and it falls into the casing I2 where it is engaged by the reciprocating piston M. This piston compacts the pulp and gradually feeds it from the casing to the chute I5 with the result that it is compressed into a more or less solid mass which acquires greater compactness as it passes rearwardly between the converging walls of the chute. In order to divide the body of pulp I20 into units and to permit the threading of the flexible binders through the pulp, the needles are first forced through the pulp by admitting compressed air to the cylinder II at the head end thereof to cause the needles to assume the position shown in Fig. 5, where there are illustrated the relative conditions of the parts and the binders after one bale has been formed and another is in the process of formation. When in this condition, one series of flexible binders I2I will have been partially passed around a unit I20 of the body of pulp as a result of a preceding operation in which these binders have been inserted through holes'made through the pulp by a preceding operation of the needle I0, and another unit I20 of the body of pulp will have been formed into a completed bound bale or bundle. To complete the operation of binding the unit I20 the needles are first forced through the pulp, as shown in Fig. 5, to form a series of holes through which the free ends I2I of the binding straps may be inserted or threaded after the needles have been withdrawn. The practice of forming the holes through the pulp by the needles and then withdrawing the needles preliminary to threading the binding straps through the holes is now considered preferable to the practice of providing the needles with eyes through which the straps may be inserted and then drawn through the holes by the operation of withdrawing the needles. Accordingly, the needles are withdrawn from the position shown in Fig. 5 and the free ends I2I of the binders I2I are inserted through the holes at the same time that another series of binders I22 are inserted through the same holes in preparation for the binding of the next following unit of the pulp I20. When this threading operation has been completed, the extremities of the ends I 2H of the binders I2I are located adjacent to the other free ends I2 I of the same binders, on the side of the machine adjacent the needle carriage. The two ends of each binder which are thus located adjacent to each other are then engaged by the operator and drawn taut, although if the friction shoes 55 are employed, the strap will have previously been drawn taut around a major portion of the unit I20 by the engagement of the straps with the shoes as the pulp moves rearwardly. When the ends of each binder are drawn taut, they are secured together by suitable means such as the seals I23 illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, which may be of the form described and claimed in the United States patent of Ralph H. Norton No. 1,260,016, dated March 19, 1918. When all of these binders I 2I have been thus secured at their ends, the formation of a bale from the unit I20 of the pulp is substantially completed and this bale then moves rearwardly along the chute while at the same time the next forward portion I20 of the pulp moves rearwardly with its rear end engaged by the transversely extending straps which have been previously inserted through the holes in the pulp, as heretofore described. As the unit l2II of the pulp moves rearwardly, the straps I22 engage the friction shoes 55, in the embodiment here shown, and are drawn taut around the rear end to the opposite sides of the unit I21] in the same way that the straps I2I were previously drawn taut around corresponding portions of the unit I2Il When the portion I20 of the body of pulp has advanced rearwardly to a sufficient extent, the needles I0 are again thrust through the body of pulp by admitting compressed fluid to the head end of the cylinder II, thus forming a new series of holes through the pulp. The valve 80 is then operated to admit compressed fluid to the opposite end of the cylinder 1 I, whereupon the needles are withdrawn, leaving holes through the pulp through which the free ends of the straps I22 are then inserted along with the ends of another series of straps for another oncoming body of pulp and holes are provided for threading the straps which are employed for binding each unit. The operation of threading the binders or straps through the pulp and the succeeding operation of securing the ends of each binder together are carried on without arresting the movement of the pulp rearwardly through the chute and as the binding of each unit is completed by the applications of the seals thereto, it travels rearwardly through the chute until it emerges from the rear end thereof. The bound unit may then be broken off from the remaining portion of the body of pulp to form the separate bale illustrated in .Fig. 3. It will be understood that after the penetration of the pulp by the needles and the subsequent binding of the separate units of pulp, the pulp of one unit remains united to the pulp of the next adjacent unit except for the holes which are made by the needles but each unit may be readily severed from the next following unit when it reaches the rear end of the chute and is projected therefrom.

Although one example of the improved method of baling has been described in connection with the disclosure of one form of apparatus which may be used in practicing the method, it will be understood that the method may be practiced in various ways coming within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

The method of baling paper pulp and the like which comprises the steps of forming an elongated body of compacted pulp, maintaining said body of pulp in intermittent motion, thrusting a needle through said pulp and then withdrawing said needle and inserting a flexible binder through the hole made by said needle, then thrusting said needle through said moving pulp at another point and withdrawing said needle and inserting a portion of said binder through the hole made by said needle at said last-mentioned point, and then drawing taut and securing together the ends of said binder.

ARTHUR TALBOT CAMPBELL. 

